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By Rachel Deahl
Review Film Critic
There's a tendency, at least among critics, to bemoan the lack of great
films to come out every year, an outcry that is often heard at this time of
year. And while each year often feels like it does yield a less impressive
crop of films than the one before, 2003 has been particularly abysmal. As
the studios prepare to unleash their final batch of Oscar contenders and
the top ten lists start rolling out, I struggled at length to put together
my own list.
Before getting to the list itself, a few things should be noted. First of
all, I haven't seen all of the films to come out this year (some of which
have already been released and a few which have not) and, as such, my list
isn't totally impartial.
Among the more notable films I haven't had a chance to see which have
already been released are "Mystic River" and "The Last Samurai," films that
I suspect might have had a good chance of landing on this list. (I
especially say this of "Mystic River", which in most respects I hope lives
up to the critical hype, since there have been so few excellent films to
see in the dark of a movie theater this year.)
There are still other films, which have not come out yet, that also look
like they might raise the critical bar. "Cold Mountain," "House of Sand and
Fog," "Girl with a Pearl Earring," "Big Fish," "Monster" and "The Company"
will all be released closer to Christmas day (some of them on the 25th) and
any of them may prove to be excellent.
But then again, who knows?
Of the aforementioned films, I have the highest hopes for Anthony
Minghella's adaptation of Charles Frazier's brilliant Civil War epic ("Cold
Mountain") and a fascination with "The Company," a Robert Altman directed
film that follows a ballet company. The latter film hasn't gotten much
press or attention but Altman proved that he might have a few excellent
films still in him after his well-done 2001 hit, "Gosford Park."
So, before getting to the list, I have to reiterate how hard it was to find
ten films that I could, in good faith, count among the best of the year. In
the end, I couldn't find ten - I found seven. And among those seven, most
(if not all) are pictures that would probably never have made it onto any
other "best of" lists I have (or will) compile.
I enjoyed all of these films but few of them affected me profoundly. In the
end, this list may point to the futility of exercises like this; that, and
the overwhelming fact that Hollywood is still perilously trying to make
films without taking risks and, in so doing, minimizing the opportunity for
great art to peek through. Nonetheless, here goes-in no particular order:
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Lord of the
Rings: Return of the King |
Peter Jackson's cherry on his cinematic sundae, so to speak,
is anotherwondrous achievement. Rife with dazzling effects and battle
scenes, the film retains and expands upon the magic captured in Jackson's
first two films in the LOTR trilogy, especially the second. Jackson may
just take home Oscar gold for laudably wrapping up his costly, lengthy
fantasy masterpiece. |
|
Bad Santa |
Essentially a one-joke film, Terry Zwigoff's R-rated
Scrooge tale happens to be hung on a very funny single joke: Billy Bob
Thornton playing a foul-mouthed, alcoholic, department store Santa.
Although the film isn't much more than a subverted holiday fable,
Thornton is hilarious as an ex-con who dons a Saint Nick suit every
Christmas so he and his partner (a dwarf who suits up like his
"little helper") can rob the company safe.
That said, if the sight of Thornton urinating on himself and barking
obscenities at the little tikes in "Santa's village" doesn't
sound funny to you, then you should probably check out John Favreau's
kid-friendly holiday film, "Elf," instead. |
|
Finding
Nemo |
Ellen Degeneres stole the show in this irresistible,
intelligent and incredibly imaginative animated feature from Pixar. As
Dory, a fish with no short-term memory who helps Albert Brooks's unfunny
clownfish find his titular son, Degeneres shines in a role which
showcases nothing more than her voice.
The real treat, though, is seeing Pixar uncover the mysteries of the
ocean (Haven't you always wondered what your fish were thinking in that
tank of theirs?) in the same way they answered all those nagging
questions you had about your toys ("Toy Story") and the things
that were really hiding in your closet ("Monsters Inc."). |
|
The Fog of
War |
This fascinating documentary from director Errol Morris
("The Thin Blue Line" and "Dr. Death") is little
more than an extended conversation with former Secretary of Defense,
William S. McNamara but one that asks compelling questions about the
issue of responsibility in politics. A very interesting character in his
own right, McNamara confronts the ghosts of his past (he fought in Korea
and engineered much of the strategy in Vietnam) and, in so doing, begs
the question: Are our leaders responsible for the devastation unleashed
by their political decisions? Morris's film is especially poignant in
that it highlights an undeniable parallel between the Johnson
administration and the current Bush one; Johnson, like Bush, was
seemingly fixated on fighting and winning a war which both the public
and the government had serious reservations about. |
|
Kill Bill |
Quentin Tarantino's long-awaited return is a gleeful
bloodbath that celebrates the pulp auteur's love of anime, Hong Kong films
and westerns. Although it doesn't supply much food for thought,
Tarantino's direction is impressive and the swordplay is enjoyable.
Hopefully the second installment in this two-part series will raise the
bar and provide some substance to support all the carnage. |
|
School of
Rock |
After his comedic talents were squandered in a number of
poorly conceived comedies, Jack Black was given the roll of his career by
Richard Linklater in this feel-good comedy about muted rock and roll
rebellion. Posing as a substitute music teacher at a ritzy private school,
Black turns his uptight young charges into a rockin' little band, all the
while teaching them that a little letting loose, and Led Zeppelin, is a
necessity to a life well-lived. Screw carpe diem-long live rock! |
|
Seabiscuit |
Syrupy, trite and hopelessly cliched, this heartfelt
biopic about the famed little racehorse who lifted the spirits of
Depression-era America through his series of unlikely victories has much
of what you'd expect: simplistic patriotism matched with a fiery belief
in the power of the underdog. Nonetheless, when that horse sprints out
of the gate and director Gary Ross closes in on him, it's hard to ignore
the knot in your stomach and the tear in your eye. |
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